The Bond

Rilan was in the sparring room, shredding prop targets to pieces with his mere fingertips when Leir entered. Rilan paused and brushed off his hands and turned to look at the tall red skinned man with the shock of white hair. Leir was one of his best soldiers, and he trusted him with his life. But something was wrong. Leir seemed to be worried about something.

“Leir,” said Rilan cracking his knuckles, “Why are you looking so troubled?”

“I’m sorry, Captain,” said Leir, meeting his eyes, “It’s about Vegeta.”

“Vegeta?” Rilan raised on brow. The Saiyan prince poised no threat to him, what could possibly have happened?

“He and Nappa have gone to the planet Earth against Frieza’s orders, it seems, in search of something called a Dragon Ball. While Frieza is angry with their disobedience, he is troubled. It seems their Scouters have stopped transmitting signals. He fears that something has happened.”

“What does he care?” Rilan asked, “Vegeta and Nappa are expendable at best. He should be glad to have the pest out of his hair.”

“That’s what I’m getting to, sir,” said Leir, “Frieza it concerned. There is no one on that planet that could possibly defy those Saiyans. Raditz was defeated by mere luck and the one who beat him was killed. Frieza thinks it may be our target, the female Saiyan, Katima.”

Rilan frowned thoughtfully. That was certainly possible. It could be that the lost Saiyan girl was on Earth and had killed Vegeta and Nappa or at least destroyed their Scouters. Rilan stretched out his left arm across his chest and sighed.

“It matters not.”

“Captain?”

“Certainly, set a trajectory for Earth, but only to pacify Frieza. We are not wasting out time chasing after this girl when we could be focusing on the training,” said Rilan, “Tell Frieza we will find the Saiyan female.”

“Of course, sir,” said Leir, saluting him, “But there’s more.”

“Yes?”

“The thing that they’re after, this Dragon Ball,” said Leir, “It’s said to grant any wish.”

“A wish?” Rilan raised one brow, “Sounds the stuff of legend to me.”

“It’s why Vegeta wants it,” said Leir, “You have to admit, it sounds worth looking into. A wish? You could become invincible and we could finally overthrow Frieza.”

“I’m not into the whole ‘too good to be true’ stuff,” said Rilan, “We shouldn’t waste our time chasing a fairy tale.”

“Frieza certainly seems interested in it,” said Leir.

“Frieza…” Rilan spat, “That scumbag can think of nothing other than becoming more powerful. His day will come, Leir. And I promise you it will be by my hand.”

---

“Not here,” said Goku as he landed before Vegeta, Katima just behind him, “I know a better place to fight.”

Vegeta smiled lightly, as if to humor him, “Where ever. Just lead the way.”

They went airborne and Katima followed Goku’s lead deeper into the wasteland. Vegeta was right behind her and she could help but check over her shoulder every few seconds. He smirked at her every time she looked.

“Where are we going?” she asked Goku, forcing herself to keep her gaze ahead.

“Somewhere where we won’t hurt anyone else,” said Goku, glancing at her, “You’re sure you want to stay?”

“You can’t make me leave,” she snapped at him, “Older brother or not, I’m not one for taking orders. He’s stronger than you think. I wish you would just listen to me.”

“Are we starting this sibling rivalry thing already?” Goku laughed.

“This is serious!” Katima hissed, “All of our planet is at stake here.”

“Lighten up,” said Goku, “I think you’re underestimating me.”

Katima let out a sigh. It was pointless in arguing with him. What a stubborn fool. Oh well. If worse came to worse, she was prepared to do what needed to be done.

“So, how did you make that bond with him?” Goku asked softly.

“I kissed him.”

“What?!” Goku’s flight trembled a little, but he quickly regained control and stared at her with wide eyes, “You- but-”

“It’s a gift,” said Katima swiftly, “My mother gave it to me- er- adoptive mother. I can- feel him,” she glanced back, and saw this time Vegeta wasn’t ready to meet her gaze. He was frowning at Goku’s back, “His emotions- they’re so dark. I haven’t felt a single positive feeling from him yet- no genuine happiness… It’s… difficult.”

“What do you mean?” asked Goku.

“The bond is very one sided,” she explained, “When my mother had it, she was the one who cast it upon me, not the other way around. When she was alive, I couldn’t hurt her without feeling the pain myself, and if she should die, so would I. I protected her and did all that she asked, but it wasn’t like she was a tyrant. Lily did it to keep me from hurting others. I… I’ve been battling with the urge to kill my whole life,” she shut her eyes for a moment and focused back on the present, “I couldn’t feel her emotions or her presence, but she could feel mine.

“She lifted the bond just before she passed so that I could live on, and passed the gift to me, should I ever need it. Now that I have cast the bond on Vegeta, I’m on the other end of the rope than I’m used to. I can feel his whole. It’s… his emotions are so strong that they are threatening to consume me.”

Goku’s eyes widened, “What would that do?” he asked.

“I’m not sure,” said Katima softly, “Perhaps I would become like him. Perhaps it would kill me. But Lily dealt with my emotions, and when I was young they were just as raw as his are now,” she looked at Goku, her eyes serious, “I believe that I can handle it. But should anything happen, kill me, and make sure I’m near him when you do it.”

“I’m not planning on killing anyone,” said Goku, “Not even Vegeta.”

“Wha- wait, what?” Katima almost stopped flying, “What do you mean? You saw what he’s capable of! Do you think he would show you or your son and friends any mercy?”

“Everyone deserves a chance to change,” said Goku softly, “I will make him wish he never came to Earth, you can count on that, but I don’t believe killing him will be necessary.”

Katima couldn’t believe her ears. Was he serious? It was noble, sure, but this went beyond nobility. Vegeta was a cold-hearted monster, she could feel that in her very pores. The only way to stop someone like that for good would be to finish them off- completely. But she could see there would be no arguing with Goku. Katima just hoped that he would see sense once the fighting started.

“Here,” said Goku, and stopped abruptly, so abruptly that Vegeta slammed into Katima’s back.

She shuddered and made to dart away but he grabbed her arm and twisted her to face him.

“Hey!” Goku shouted, “Your fight is with me, not her!”

“Shut up, Kakarot,” snarled Vegeta, “I’m not going to hurt her, I can’t! I just want a word…”

Katima shook slightly as he brought his face close to hers.

“I warn you now, girl, I will find a way to kill you without me following. I suggest that while you watch me destroy your brother that you really think about if there is a way to reverse this ‘bond’ of yours. I might let you live then,” he smiled at her threateningly, but he kept to his word- he did not hurt her.

That was good, maybe this bond wasn’t going to backfire after all- but she knew Vegeta was no where near bluffing. If he did manage to kill Goku, she would be dead, one way or the other. She knew Lily had removed the bond before she passed, but Lily never gave that information to Katima. She had no clue how to remove it- if there was even a way to do so.

Vegeta pushed her away and Katima flew to her brother’s side, rubbing her arm where the prince’s hand had been. She and Goku lowered themselves to the Earth, Vegeta following, landing a few yards away and folding his arms.

“We still don’t have to do this,” called Goku, “If you leave now, I won’t hurt you.”

Vegeta laughed, “I think not, Kakarot. You and your bratty sister have already pushed me way beyond my breaking point.”

“Fine,” said Goku. He looked at Katima, “Take cover. I’ll keep the fight away from you.”

“If you need me-” Katima began.

“I won’t,” said Goku sharply, “Go.”

Katima sighed and glanced at Vegeta. Fine, she thought, if Goku won’t kill you, I suppose I’ll have to when the time is right. I just hope it doesn’t hurt as bad as I think it’s going to.

She leapt from the edge of the cliff they had landed on and slid down to the ground. With one last glance up at Vegeta, who was smirking menacingly down at her, she turned and ran to hide behind some boulders. This was going to be the fight of a lifetime, and she couldn’t even watch, what a bummer.

The battle began.

The power Katima felt roaring around her was enough to make her want to scream. It was amazing, she had never felt anything like it before. To think that her life had been so uneventful until now- all those years in the forest, and the first people she really meets are in a battle to save the Earth.

“Sweet mother of God, my luck is terrible,” Katima sighed, and chanced another peek around the rock she was hiding behind.

Goku and Vegeta were about even, which was both pleasing and troubling. She could feel Vegeta’s rage pulsing through her, but her own emotion of hope that Goku might win was stronger. She watched as Goku’s body was consumed in a red light and he rushed at Vegeta, landing an excellent punch that sent Vegeta flying across the landscape and into a rock spire, leaving a gaping whole where he had entered. Goku relaxed, catching his breath, but Katima knew Vegeta was far from finished.

With a almighty wail, the area where Vegeta had been in erupted, the Saiyan prince in the center of the explosion, his arms wide and his face toward the sky.

His shock and anger that Goku could actually land a hit on him was obvious, even to someone without a bond with him. Vegeta jumped up into the air, hovering over Goku. Katima just barely managed to catch his words from so far off.

“You’ll insolent fool! I’ll kill you and all of this planet! GATLIC GUN!”

Vegeta’s power level spiked and Katima flinched as he gathered energy in his hand and shoot a massive violet beam down at Goku. But her brother was ready for it. He shot up his own rocket of energy up at him, and the two beams met in the middle, a blast exploding across the landscape that threatened to knock Katima off her feet. Such power! She couldn’t believe it, and the Saiyan blood in her itched to get in the battle.

For a moment, Vegeta’s beam seemed to be making purchase, and Katima tensed, waiting to watch her brother get consumed in fire. But that mysterious red light bathed Goku once again, and a new burst of power rolled up the line of energy, shooting it up at Vegeta so hard and fast that when it made contact, Vegeta was sent sailing up into the air. He went so far that he eventually vanished into the sky, and Katima stood there with her mouth gaping.

Vegeta wasn’t dead- she could feel that much, but he could be landing in England for all she knew. That blast was incredible!

“Katima!” she heard Goku calling, “Katima, are you okay?”

“Sure,” Katima came out from her cover and looked up the cliff toward her brother, “Great shot!”

“Can you tell what happened?” Goku flew down to meet her.

He looked pretty rough, his clothing ripped around him to near shreds, injuries scattered across his face and arms, one eye squinted, and swelling coming on.

“He’s not dead,” said Katima, looking up where Vegeta vanished, “But boy is he pissed,” she laughed, “You might just win, Goku.”

She suddenly felt a spark from Vegeta- he had gotten clear of the blast, and he was suddenly elated.

“Uh oh.”

“What?” Goku grabbed her shoulders.

“He’s- he’s happy- oh that can’t be good,” she frowned, focusing in on the prince, and suddenly, she wasn’t looking at Goku anymore.

She was Vegeta.

He was soaring high above the ground, looking around desperately. She could feel the pain of his wounds, and his sudden desperation. He was looking for something. But as he flew about, he grew more and more frustrated. He couldn’t find it.

Vegeta couldn’t find the moon.

Katima snapped back to herself and was suddenly wobbly on her feet. Goku caught her and held her steady, “Katima, what’s wrong?”

“He’s looking…” Katima straightened and shook herself. She was her- not Vegeta- her emotions were separate- she was separate. Trying to focus on this fact she continued, “He’s trying to find the moon.”

“The moon?” Goku tilted his head to the side, “Why?”

“I don’t know,” said Katima, pushing him off of her and leaning on the wall of rock that was the cliff face, “Give me a minute.”

Slowly she gathered herself. That was strange. She had never experienced that with her bond with Lily- then again, she was on the other end of the rope. Did Lily ever get in Katima’s point of view when she was growing up? What a trip.

“Katima?” Goku asked uncertainly.

“I’m okay,” said Katima, shrugging off the wall and cracking her neck, “This bond… it’s hard to handle. I’ll be fine though, I- Goku!” she looked up at the sky, “He’s back!”

Vegeta was on top a rock spire, smiling down at them, arms crossed.

“I have to give you credit, Kakarot, I took you for quite the idiot, but destroying the moon was a smart move,” Vegeta laughed.

“Destroying the- I didn’t…” Goku frowned, “I didn’t destroy the moon- I just got back, I had no idea it was gone.”

“Don’t play dumb!” Vegeta spat, his smile fading for a moment, but it quickly returned, “It doesn’t matter. I have long ago learned to create an artificial moon for the planets that lacked one.”

A ball of light formed in his hand and Goku pushed Katima behind him. But Vegeta did not throw the orb at them. He tossed it into the sky.

Goku and Katima watched with wonder as it sailed upwards and grew. Within a few moments, it looked just like the full moon hanging in the sky.

Katima yelped and shut her eyes, looking away. She suddenly understood. It had been so long, she had been taught since she was a girl to never look at the full moon, because of what it did to her. It was only because of the bond that she hadn’t killed everything in sight the first time it happened.

“Goku!” she shouted, clutching blindly at her brother’s arm, “He’s going to transform! We have to get out of here!”

Katima felt her body suddenly stiffen. No. It was happening- not just to Vegeta- but to her too! But how? She didn’t even look at the moon!

The bond.

Because Vegeta was transforming- so was she.

“Goku, hit me!” Katima shouted.

“What?” Goku cried.

“Knock me out! Before it- it’s t-too late!” Katima tried to resist, her tail lashing wildly, “DO IT GOKU OR I’LL END UP KILLING YOU!”

It was then Goku’s fist slammed across her face, and Katima fell into darkness.

But her slumber was not uneventful.

It was one of the strangest sensations she had even experienced. She was unconscious, she knew this, but she felt her body continue to grow, a roar erupting from her lips. She opened her eyes to glare down at Goku- but- how did he get so far away? And- whoa.

He was holding Katima’s body.

What in the world? Was she dead?

No. She was Vegeta. While her body was out like a light, it seemed her consciousness went to Vegeta’s. She had no control over the Saiyan, merely being a passenger in the ride. He had transformed with the help of his fake moon into the great ape, the monster that Katima too became at the full moon. It must be a Saiyan thing, she recalled. Of course. The tail.

How surreal. She felt like she was dreaming, but she knew this to be real. She watched as Goku carried her body away. What a shame that they were too far from Vegeta when Goku hit her, then he would be out too. If he got close when Katima was asleep it wouldn’t effect him unless her body was inflicted with pain that she could feel.

All Katima could do was watch as Goku stashed her body in a cave and flew toward Vegeta.

“Leave her out of this,” he snapped.

“I’m not the one who hit her.”

Amazing! Vegeta could speak when in this form! He had complete control! Whenever Katima had changed she was a mindless beast and remembered nothing when she awoke. But Vegeta… Katima guessed he had had a lot of practice.

“What a shame,” Vegeta laughed, his voice deep and monstrous in this form, “She could have helped me destroy you. I’m positive that she had you hit her because she can’t control her ape form. I had been counting on that,” he laughed a deep throated, sinister laugh, “Relax, Kakarot, I can’t hurt her. But I can hurt you.”

Katima willed her brother to run, feeling the almighty power coursing through Vegeta’s new body. Goku managed to dodge most of the attacks, but he was also getting hit by a fair few as well. It wouldn’t be long before he would be completely overwhelmed. She prayed that he would be able to do something, anything to stop this evil Saiyan. And just before Vegeta slammed a mighty fist on top of Goku, he lifted his hands to his face and screamed, “SOLAR FLARE!”

There was a blinding light, and Katima’s- no- Vegeta’s eyes were shot with pain of the sudden brightness. Vegeta clutched his eyes, screaming in pain and rage, “My eyes! Damn it, my eyes!”

Katima wished she could see what Goku was doing, but all she saw was what Vegeta could see and he wasn’t seeing much of anything at the moment. It was the moon- they had to find some way to get rid of that moon he made! But how? It was artificial, just a light in the sky like a star.

Finally, Vegeta managed to open his eyes, but everything was blurred for several moments. Vegeta squinted around him, but Goku was gone. Katima wondered if he had fled. She couldn’t sense power because she was being in Vegeta’s mind. No, she decided, Goku didn’t seem the type to run. She figured he was hiding somewhere, gathering his strength. She just hoped it would be enough.

“Kakarot!” Vegeta screamed, “Where are you?! I will find you, Kakarot!”

He stomped about the landscape, but Katima noticed he kept away from the cave she was hidden in. Vegeta slashed boulders and small mountains from his path, roaring in rage, and finally, he spotted him.

Goku was just below him, hands up in the air for some strange reason. Was he surrendering? No, Katima saw the glimmer of power in his palms. He was gathering energy. Vegeta swiped Goku off his feet with a swing of his massive arm, sending the Saiyan flying into a rock spire and crushing it with his impact. Vegeta laughed victoriously as he walked over and slammed his foot on Goku’s legs, making her brother scream in agony.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Vegeta snarled, “Did I just break your shins?”

Goku managed to open his eyes to glare up at Vegeta, shaking with pain. A sudden orb of energy formed in his hands and he tossed it. With expert aim, it landed directly into Vegeta’s right eye.

Vegeta screamed wildly, clutching it and stumbling back a few paces, “Not the eye again!” he wailed.

Goku had done some serious damage. Vegeta could well be blinded in the eye for the rest of his life now. The pain was excruciating. Katima was astounded that she could feel everything he did so vividly. It must have something to do with being in his mind.

“LEAVE MY DADDY ALONE!”

Vegeta slowly opened his good eye and turned to see little Gohan atop a rock spire, glaring him down. No! Katima thought, he was supposed to leave!

“Oh,” laughed Vegeta, “Your ‘daddy’? This man here?” he reached down and gathered Goku in his massive hands and squeezed him before Gohan’s young eyes, making Goku shriek.

“STOP IT!” Gohan screamed, shaking with rage.

Come on, kid, Katima thought, if there was ever a time for your anger-trigger powers it would be now.

“What is a half-breed like you going to do about it?” Vegeta snarled, squeezing Goku again, cracking every rib in his body.

“I said stop!” Gohan threw a blast of energy but it bounced off Vegeta’s armor like a ping pong ball.

“You have to do better than-”

Vegeta was suddenly aware of Krillin standing on a cliff behind him just in time to leap over a bright yellow disc of energy flying at him. It whizzed under him, and Vegeta watched as it went soaring toward Gohan. It was too low, only hitting the spire the child was upon, but it sliced it clean, the top of it hovering in the air for a moment before slamming back down, making Gohan fall on all fours.

“… that,“ Vegeta finished his sentence as if nothing happened. “Fools!” Vegeta cried, “You think such a pathetic attempt of a trap could work? Now you’ll die slowly- but only when I’m finished with Kakarot!”

Vegeta was about to squeeze the life out of Goku, Katima could feel the violence spilling forth from his heart.

But their was a sharp pain that echoed throughout his entire body. Katima wanted to scream in agony, but could only sit silently in Vegeta’s eyes as he stood there, his mouth gaping and a choking sound coming out, his entire body beginning to shake. He dropped Goku, and Katima didn’t even see where her brother landed because Vegeta was in too much pain to look.

It was his tail.

Someone had severed his tail.

Katima watched in awe as Vegeta slowly went back to his normal size. Once he was back to human form he fell on his knees gasping. But Katima knew he was not beat. Goku was already out of his way, and in this form, Gohan, Krillin, and the sneaky bastard who sliced his tail would be no issue for him. He slowly got to his feet, shaking in anger. His eyes went to Gohan, then to Krillin, and he began to laugh.

“This changes nothing!” he cried, “You’re all going to die- and now you’ve made me even more mad.”

And Katima awoke.

She stared at the cave wall with mild frustration. What could she possibly do now? She went to the mouth of the cave, and refused to look up at the fake moon. So long as she didn’t stare right into it, she wouldn’t transform. Katima saw Krillin go flying by and slam into a cliff face and slide to the ground. She rushed out to his side.

“Krillin!” she shook him, “What are you doing here?”

“We knew you guys needed our help,” Krillin groaned as he got to his feet.

“I guess there is something you can do,” Katima said, looking back toward Vegeta who was kicking Goku in the stomach repeatedly.

She turned back to Krillin and grabbed his shoulders, “Krillin, we need to get close and you have to kill me!”

“What?!” Krillin’s eyes widened, “I-I can’t do that! Goku-”

“Goku is going to die if we don’t stop Vegeta!” Katima shouted, shaking him, “Damn it Krillin, you have to do this!”

Krillin stared up at her for a long moment and then furrowed his brows in determination, “How close to we have to be?”

“A hundred yards,” she said, “Now come- what the?”

She turned at the sudden spark of energy and saw Gohan was attacking Vegeta head on- and the little squirt was actually hitting him every so often.

“Wow,” she and Krillin said in unison and then glanced at each other.

“There’s no way Gohan can keep that up,” said Katima.

“You haven’t seen some of the things that Gohan can do,” said Krillin.

“Krillin!”

It was Goku. They looked over at him laying a ways away, glanced up to make sure Vegeta and Gohan were far enough away, and then rushed to his side.

“Katima- are you okay?” Goku rasped.

“You didn’t hit me that hard,” said Katima, “But you stopped the transformation. And now that Vegeta’s tail is gone, I just have to worry about keeping my eyes off that moon of his. The real question is, are you okay, Goku?”

“Fine,” Goku grunted, “But- Krillin,” he held out his hand toward him, “I need you to do something.”

“Sure,” said Krillin, taking his hand, “What is it?”

“Take this energy,” said Goku, “It- it’s a spirit bomb.”

“What?” Krillin gasped, “But- Goku give it to Katima- what if I miss?”

“Katima can’t hurt Vegeta without hurting herself,” said Goku, “You have to do it.”

There was a bright light that glowed around their joined hands. Katima was amazed at the power she felt from it. When they let go of one another, Krillin was gazing at his still glowing hand with awe.

“Make it- make it into a ball,” Goku breathed.

A great look of concentration came across Krillin’s face and then, from his palm burst a great blue-white orb of power. Katima stared at it with wide eyes. It was like all of the world’s energy was compressed into that thing. What the heck did Goku do?

“You can’t miss,” Goku whispered, “We only get one shot. I can’t make another.”

“O-okay,” said Krillin softly.

“Katima, make sure you’re far off from Vegeta,” Goku hissed, “That thing will sting pretty badly.”

“I’ll stay here with you,” she told him, “He and Gohan are far off now. Krillin,” she looked at him, “Good luck.”

Krillin nodded and flew off, the orb in his hand.

“Goku,” Katima looked along his broken and bloodied body, “What about that bean you gave us? Got any more?”

“Those were my last ones,” Goku managed to grunt.

Katima sighed and placed a hand on his shoulder, “You’re a great fighter, bro. I’m glad I met you.”

Goku smiled at her.

Katima heard it. The power of the Spirit Bomb whizzing through the air. She looked over and saw that Vegeta had Gohan cornered, and Krillin had shot the bomb at his turned back. It was going to strike! It had to!

But Vegeta turned just before it reached him, eyes growing wide and darting upward, letting it zoom harmlessly beneath him. She heard Krillin let out a cry of defeat. But it was over. The bomb was heading straight for little Gohan, and Katima thought she was going to see her nephew die before her eyes, but he thrust out his small hands and bounced the bomb back at Vegeta.

This time, it did not miss.

The power consumed him, and the blast was so mighty that Katima shielded Goku with her torso as bits of debris went flying around them.

There was a scream, Vegeta’s scream, and Katima turned just in time to see Vegeta get shot far up into the sky, so far up that he disappeared within moments.

They did it! Vegeta was gone, Katima could feel nothing in the bond from him. It was a miracle. She didn’t have to sacrifice herself after all. What luck.

Krillin and Gohan appeared in the cloud of dust rushing toward them, beaming in joy and cheering wildly.

“He’s gone!” Krillin cried, “He’s actually gone!”

“We did it, Daddy!” Gohan said as he knelt beside his father, “We actually did it!”

Goku laughed, “You all did great,” he muttered.

“We need to get you to a hospital,” said Katima, smiling down at her brother, “And then maybe we can actually get to know each other. I had no idea I had such a great family,” she ruffled Gohan’s hair and he grinned at her.

There was a strange, whistling sound, and Katima and the others looked up just in time to see Vegeta’s body flying back toward them. He landed limply a few yards away, his armor smoldering and beaten, right eye bloodied.

Krillin, Gohan, and Goku seemed shaken but Katima placed a hand on Goku’s shoulder again to reassure them, “He’s gone. I can’t feel anything through the bond. No pain, no emotion. Nothing.”

Krillin slowly got to his feet and went over to Vegeta’s body to take a pulse.

“Hmm,” he said, straightening, “Well at least that’s the last time we’ll see his ugly face.”

Katima felt a sudden spark within her, and tensed as Vegeta softly replied, “Who’s face is ugly?”

Katima pushed Gohan behind her as Vegeta sat up and smiled at Krillin, then the others behind him.

“You know,” he said, “There’s only one thing that I would like to say to you right now,” he looked back at Krillin and smirked, “Bitch slap!”

And he slammed the back of his hand upside Krillin’s face, sending him flying several feet away. Katima jumped to her feet, but staggered. Being close to Vegeta, she could feel all of his injuries burning on her.

“Goddamn it, what does it take to kill you?” she demanded, crouching defensively, ignoring the pain.

Vegeta got to his feet, smiling lightly, “You can’t kill me, girl. Haven’t you figured it out yet?”

Katima turned to Gohan, “Kill me! Now, do it!”

“Wh-what? No!” Gohan looked at her in shock, “I can’t-”

“You have t- ah!” Katima yelped as an arm snaked around her waist and pulled her back.

“Sorry, sweetheart, that’s not about to happen,” Vegeta breathed in her ear.

Gohan ran toward them, but Vegeta kicked him aside as if he were a beach ball. Goku was helpless to assist, laying beaten in the dirt, only able to watch as Vegeta went to where Gohan had landed, pulling Katima with him, her back pressed to his chest.

“Kakarot, it does me a great shame to do this,” Vegeta called over his shoulder, “After you, your son, and sister are dead, I’ll be the last Saiyan left. It’s too bad that none of you could see sense!”

He held out a hand to blast Gohan, but he paused. Katima followed his gaze and saw what had shocked him so.

Gohan had a tail.

Where the hell did that come from? Katima was positive that her nephew did not have tail before. Gohan looked up at them, obviously prepared to fight, but then his eyes focused on something over their shoulder, and turned a deep blood red.

“Oh shit,” hissed Katima.

“No!” Vegeta tossed her aside, making her roll a ways and then get to her feet to see Vegeta punching Gohan repeatedly, but it was doing nothing.

Gohan was growing, growling, his face contorting.

“Stop changing!” Vegeta cried, punching on, “Stop, stop, stop!”

It was too late. Vegeta stepped back as the boy grew and grew. He turned and ran toward Katima who yelped in fear and turned to run from him, but his arm was around her waist again and they went airborne, backing away from the now monstrous Gohan. It was obvious that unlike Vegeta, Gohan had no control over his ape form, and he merely started to destroy everything around him.

“Ha!” Vegeta laughed, “The boy has no idea how to channel this form,” he grabbed Katima’s chin and made her look at him, “We get to watch him kill his own friend and father. Isn’t that a treat?”

Katima pushed his hand away from her face, “I should have killed you when I first laid the bond, should have just destroyed myself.”

“So noble,” Vegeta twisted her around so that their fronts pressed, “But I can feel your Saiyan blood, Katima. You have not been poisoned like your brother.”

Katima was highly tempted to bite his nose since it was so close, but she heard Goku’s voice.

“Gohan!” he was crying, “Remember who you are! It’s me, your father! We aren’t your enemy!” he managed to point a horrible broken arm up to Vegeta, “HE IS!”

“Goddamn it,” sighed Vegeta as Gohan suddenly locked on to their position and opened his mouth, a powerful beam of energy forming there.

Vegeta shot downward, which made Katima instinctively wrap her arms around his neck. The powerful blast went right over their heads. Vegeta landed, and Katima tried to squirm away but Vegeta held fast. He obviously knew she was going to try and get herself hit. Gohan stomped toward them, roaring.

“That tail has got to go,” hissed Vegeta, jumping into the air and twisting to avoid Gohan’s massive fists. Katima grabbed onto the prince again, closing her eyes tightly. Again, she wondered about what her day would have been like if she had just stayed home today.

When she opened her eyes again, they were behind Gohan, and Vegeta raised his free arm and a disc of power formed in his palm and he shot it, expertly turning it so that it severed Gohan’s tail off from its root. Vegeta laughed victoriously as Gohan froze, shaking. Vegeta looked at Katima’s face and she quickly unwrapped her arms from around his neck. He smirked at her and opened his mouth to speak, but then he looked past her with his eyes widening.

Katima turned to see Gohan falling backward, straight for them. There was no way to fly out of the way in time, and Gohan wasn’t shrinking fast enough. They were going to be crushed.

Good, Katima thought, smiling as Gohan’s back slammed into them and they were pushed into the ground.